Budget Friendly Festive Feasting

Luxurious entertaining on a budget

The festive season can mean lots of eating and drinking, but it doesn’t have to break the bank. I joined Lidl to find out how to celebrate the festive season on a budget. Wine notes have been provided by Richard Bampfield, Master of Wine for Lidl.

Arrival drinks and nibbles

Prosecco Spumante DOC Rosé Extra Dry – £6.99 / 70cl – I liked this light and easy to drink Prosecco so much I have two put aside. The bottle looks swish, asd some ribbon and you’ve got a superb gift there.

Deluxe Smoked Salmon Slices, infused with Beetroot and Edible Gold Lustre – £3.49 / 100g (this looked and tasted so good, so good in fact I munched them before taking any photos)

Deluxe Antipasti with Prosciutto Selection – £2.49 / 100g

Starter

Deluxe Smoked Salmon Royal Fillet with Gold Lustre – £10 / 200g

Paired with: Sauvignon Blanc Malborough, New Zealand 2022 – 12.5% ABV / £6.99 – “Textbook example of this highly popular white and always a good match for smoked salmon.”

Main course

Strathvale Grass fed Scotch Beef 36 Day Matured Fillet Steak £6.69 / 199g or Strathvale Scottish Grass Fed Beef Ribeye Steak – £6.49 / 283g, Strathvale Scottish Grass Fed Beef Rump Steak – £4.89 / 283g, Strathvale Scottish Grass Fed Beef Sirloin Steak – £5.79 / 283g

or how about a homemade steak pie? Find the recipe here.

Paired with a trio of reds:

Malbec Uco Valley, Argentina 2021 – 13% ABV / £5.99: “Good flavoursome example of Malbec which is highly fashionable at present. A natural partner for beef and steak.”

Rioja DOCa Crianza Premium, Spain 2017 – 13.5% ABV / £5.29: “Good, easy-drinking Rioja, flavoursome and not too oaky.”

Monsaraz Reserva, Portugal 2022 (Wine Tour) – 15% ABV / £8.49: “Featured in Lidl’s Christmas Wine Tour, this is a full-bodied red – a bit of a winter warmer.”

Dessert:

Sea salt caramel tart made with Deluxe dark chocolate – £0.49 / 100g

Paired with: Armilar Ruby Port, Portugal – 19% ABV / £7.13 (Scotland & Wales stores) and £6.69 (England stores) – “Deeply coloured, flavoursome, smooth and a good match for chocolate-based desserts.”

Cheese and wine pairing:

Deluxe Brie de Meaux – £2.65 / 200g (core range) – Paired with: Gavi DOCG, Italy – 12% ABV / £6.99 (currently £5.49 in Scotland until 23.11.22) “Crisp, fresh, dry Italian white that cuts through the creaminess of a cheese like brie really nicely.”

Deluxe Mature Blue Stilton – £4.49 / 454g & Deluxe Mature Cheddar Truckle – £2.79 / 200g (both Christmas specials) – Paired with: Armilar Ruby Port, Portugal – 19% ABV / £7.13 – “Featured in Lidl’s Christmas Wine Tour, this port is aged in barrels and older than the Ruby Port hence the tawny colour. Served lightly chilled, it makes a good match for the stilton.”

Deluxe Gorgonzola DOP – £2.49 / 200g (core range) – Paired with: Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos, Hungary 2014 (Wine Tour) – 9.5% ABV / £12.99 – “Featured in Lidl’s Christmas Wine Tour, this is a richly flavoured sweet white from Hungary, which is good with nut and dried fruit-based desserts and really successful with a Gorgonzola.”

Montaudon Champagne AOP Brut – 12% ABV / £14.99 – “An attractive, well-priced champagne that strikes just the right balance between freshness and depth of flavour.”